Fastening device for artificial limbs.



PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904 J. E. HANGER. FASTENING DEVIGE FOR ARTIFICIALLIMBS.

APPLICATION I'ILBD SEPT. 1, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

1X) eases I r, WASHINGTON, I:v c,

RRIS PETERS 00 PuoTo-Ll'mu UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR ARTIFI C IAL LIMBS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 762,822, dated June 14,1904. Application filed September 1, 1903. Serial No. 171,510- (Nomodel.)

To a, whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, James E. HANGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fastening Devices for ArtificialLimbs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in attachments for the thigh-socketof artificial legs; and it consist of a clasp or fastener for readilyattaching and detaching the artificial leg after the same has once beenproperly laced and fitted to the affected limb of the body. A

The method generally practiced of attaching the artificial limb to thethigh-joint consists in lacing the leather or other flexible socketmember tightly to the stump of the body, and it is necessary to unlacethis memher and refit the same to the body whenever the artificial limbis taken off or put on. This is oftentimes inconvenient, and it is toobviate this necessity of unlaoing and relacing this socket member thatI have provided my improved clasp or fastener, the features of noveltyof which will be noted in the specification and recited in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, andin which like letters refer to similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 represents a part of the upper joint of an artificial limb,showing my device attached to the flexible socket member. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the clasp or fastener, showing the same in its openposition and detached from the socketmember. Fig. 3 shows elevation andedge views of one of the members, and Fig. i is a section through theclasp on the line 4 4 of Fig.1.

A represents the clasp or fastener, comprising the two fiat separablemembers a and b. To one end of the member a is pivoted, as at c,asuitable locking-lever 0, provided with the hooked end (Z, adapted toengage the member Z) in the cut-away portion 6 This lever 0 when the twomembers are assembled is adapted to engage arounded stud 0, providedwith a head 0', located near one end of the member 5. On the other endof the member 6 a similar stud 0 having the heade is provided, which isadapted to be inserted in a perforation f in the member a opposite theend where the locking-lever c is pivoted, forming a separable pivotalconnection between the'two members at this end. The studs 0 and c andthe pivot-pin c are shown as being secured to projecting lips g, whilethe perforation f is cut through a similar lip which retains the membersslightly separated.

In operation one of the members is laced to one edge of a slit in theleather socket-piece, while the other member maybe either laced orotherwise suitably secured, as desired. In the drawings I haveillustrated the member a as being laced to the leather socket member hof the artificial limb z', while the member 6 is suitably riveted tosaid leather socket member. It will be readily apparent that after thesocket member has once been properly laced to fit the limb of the bodyit will only be necessary to insert the stud 0 in the perforation f androtate the lever 0 over the stud e to draw the two members together andlock the same by means of the hooked end d and to reverse the operationwhen it is desired to take off the artificial leg, thus avoiding thenecessity of lacing and unlaoing the flexible socket member. I

Although I have shown the hooked end for fastening the locking-lever, itis obvious that the lever might be locked in any other suitable Way,and, indeed, many other modifications might be made without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. It is also obvious that although I havedescribed my invention as particularly applicable to artificial limbs Ido not wish to restrict myself to this particular use, as the devicemight readily be used in other connections.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A fastening device comprising two members, provided with means forforming a separable pivotal conneetion between the same,

and means for drawing said members together and holding the same in alocked position.

2. A fastening device comprising two members, provided with means forforming a separable pivotal connection between the same at one endthereof, and a lever pivoted to one of said members and engaging theother of said members for drawing the upper free ends of the two memberstogether and holding the same in a locked position.

3. In a fasteningdevice, the combination with two separable members, ofa headed stud located near each end of one of said members, aperforation being formed in the other of said members adapted to receiveone of said headed studs and form a pivotal connection therewith, and alocking-lever on said second member, adapted to engage said other headedstud for drawing the two members together and locking the same.

it. In a fastening device, the combination with two members, means forforming a separable pivotal connection between said members at one endthereof, a lever on one of said members adapted to engage the other ofsaid members for drawing the two together, and a hooked lip on saidlever for locking said members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

J AMES E. HANGER. Witnesses:

FRANK D. BLACKIS'IJONE, M. M. OCoNNoR.

